Grave Roses
by Isybelle
Summary: When Emma broke the curse and the people of Storybrooke immediately incarcerated Regina. Panicked Regina resorts to an old plan, an old plan that involves one of her pawns, murder and Rumplestiltskin, but not necessarily in that order. AU in which Jefferson does not free Belle. Here be angst, twoo wuv and devious plans.
1. Prologue

_She fell, she died_

There is no way to trace the dead. The soul has left the body nothing but an empty shell. Rumplestiltskin knew this better than many, and yet he still tried to find her using magic to call out; and when all he heard was the void he bellowed in grief, sinking to his knees in the library… her library… as though his shouts would recall her spirit to him, if only to tell him to try and quieten down as some were trying to read. But of course, _dead is dead._

He scoured Avonlea for her grave before he realised hers would not be marked. She was a suicide, held up as dying in sin and therefore was, most likely, buried at some crossroads.

That day, fragrant and fragile rose bushes sprung up at every cross road in the lands. Few noticed and less cared to ponder this floral anomaly, in fact the only person who gave it any thought at all, apart from he who conjured them, was a girl locked in a tower. From her vantage point she could see three different cross roads and immediately noticed the identical rose bush at each. She had many different theories as to why three magnificent rose bushes had sprung up from nothing simultaneously at cross roads, and theorising on this strange phenomena kept her entertained in her darkest hour; which was ironic really, as it was her darkest hour the flowers symbolised.


	2. Chapter 1 The Cell Block Verbal Tango

Emma had broken the curse. Henry's recovery would be the only good news Regina was going to receive that day. The return of their memories had left the residents of Storybrooke in turmoil. The chief issue up for debate was what was to be done with Regina, some had very creative suggestions for her demise, some wanted her to be exiled, others simply wanted her thrown in some dark hole with the key then incinerated, preferably in front of her. On one point, however, there was general consensus, Regina had to have a trial, whether to give her victims a sense of closure, or to maintain a modicum of order rather than resorting to mob rule or simply to give the chosen adjudicators time to decide what to do with her, in their unenviable task of balancing all the different views and two legal systems. The upshot of all this was that Regina was incarcerated in the sheriff station. The sheriff herself was happily reunited with Henry, and awkwardly discovering the truth in 'be careful what you wish for', as the fairy tale ending she used to wish for has now become her rather uncomfortable reality. Regina was alone; she thought her predicament could not deteriorate, that was until she heard the faint tap of a cane coming slowly towards the door.

The chief reason that always allowed Mr Gold to feel immune to Regina's curse was not because he had created it; referring both to Regina's Evil Queen persona and the curse itself. Nor was it the safety valve he'd worked in, while these facts allowed him to smirk and feel intensely self satisfied, if he was honest with himself the true reason Regina's curse never scared him was that he had already lost any possible chance he could have of happiness. He had apparently failed to learn the lesson life had been trying to teach him since a young child, biology does not a good parent make. His father had, to all intense and purposes, sold him for the chance of eternal youth, he in turn had abandoned his own son due to a mixture of love of power and bone crushing fear. Finally, in case he started to believe it was just his family; Belle's father had handed her over to the clerics and, and…The pattern as far as he could discern was a brave child tries to save their family and their family responds in kind by betraying them. It was from these dour reflections that Mr Gold shook himself to be greeted by the rather pleasant sight of Regina behind bars.

'Rumplestiltskin' she spat

'Hello Dearie, I see you haven't got any better at making friends, what's the matter, did the peasants not like either Regina or the Evil Queen? Did it ever occur to you that it was simply you, your charming person, that they objected to?… though the mass murder didn't help.. just a thought!' He had returned to his imp style even if his register was still that of Mr Gold. Regina was burning with anger but also indignation

'You twisted little imp, you betrayed me, you created this, all of it, it's your fault you should be rotting in here not me.'

'And yet, I am not.' to Regina's chagrin he remained completely unfazed as he settled himself on the arm of the sofa opposite her cell. It forcibly reminded her of the time mere months ago when she had taunted him with his precious broken crockery.

'A deal, is that why you are here? You wish to make a deal with me.' with this thought she felt slightly more self assured and her composure returned, she knew where this conversation was going, he after all famously dealt with desperate souls.

'A deal,' he tittered 'Why would I want to deal with you? You are used up and worthless, the only reason I am here is to return all the gloating prison visits you have inflicted on me over the last years' His voice had fallen to a simmering sibilant hiss.

'But surely there must be something?' Panic was beginning to seep into her voice and constrict her stomach.

He leaned in close to the bars and his voice has close to an inaudible hiss.

'Once again I must remind you dearie how deals work, it requires two interested parties and you have nothing that I want, your end is coming, your revenge failed, you failed.'

He had got up and was walking towards the door when Regina called him back desperation etched into every word 'No wait, I have something'

He turned round slowly, and stared at her with a mixture of annoyance and disbelief, finally he decided to take the bait.

'What could you possibly have…' he almost drawled

'Her Rose bush'

'What?' all hint of boredom fled, he instantly looked angry and wary.

The crack in his façade, served to bolster Regina, as she went for the offensive 'Really Rumple I had no idea you were so thoughtful… and sentimental'

'Where is it?'

'Oh no, first we are going to discuss my payment'

'What do you want' his voice was once again to close to inaudible, but this time it was due to how tightly he had clenched his jaw.

'Henry is safe from you, from both magic and non magic actions' She had been close to gabbling but now she fell still as marble.

'You have my word, no harm shall ever befall the boy from any of my actions, where is…'

'I have on more request, that you pass on a message' His look of irritation served as her only hint that he accepted.

'You are to inform Nurse Ratchet, that black queen takes white pawn'

'I will do so, now tell me where it is.' Regina was pleased to see how easily the tables had turned, his voice had taken on a desperate quality he had not heard from him in years.

'In the city hall garden third rose bush to the left of the gate.' He nodded tightly. He was almost out the door when the desire to have the final word overwhelmed him.

'Really dearie chess, that was never a game you excelled at, you lack the foresight.' He turned expecting to see her irritated by his quip or worried at her fate. Her smug look of knowing and content left him feeling queasy and discombobulated. Surely he had won, all he had to do was not hurt Henry, something he never intended to do in the first place, and give Regina's chess partner her next and final move, but that could all wait he had to retrieve her rose. He could see the cosmic sense of humour, the man who had so many priceless objects of outstanding beauty, treasured most in the world a ragged old shawl, a chipped teacup, an ancient leather ball and now a prickly plant.

He had always felt Roses were perfect for them, not only did the beautiful flower consist of many layers, but the stem was thorny and dangerous. The beauty of the flower happily entwined with the beastly thorns, it was sentimental metaphor but he believed she would have enjoyed it.

Regina leant back on the bed in her cell, her head ad shoulders resting on the wall. She was doomed, she knew it, she had been tried and very nearly executed by an almost identical court before, she knew that there would be no clemency for her this time. However, with her small message she had set in motion events that would tear apart Storybrooke, with the only person in the world who mattered safe from it all. Henry would be safe while Rumplestiltskin burnt down the town, not because he would find his precious Belle when it was too late and realise she had been alive all this time, that would simply cause him to cry and create sentimental gestures of love. No, he was going to bring down the apocalypse on Storybrooke because he would realise that it was he who sent the order for her execution.


End file.
